God as a product does not work. We present God as a product and He isn’t. We sell that God loves us and thus He must want what we want. This merchandising of God has invaded the entire church. Advertising is about image far more than content. The advertising agency wants you to use their brands and to be committed to their brands. And thus they all try to convince me that if I chew a certain chewing gum, that I will be thin, handsome and that pretty girls will be attracted to me. That is so not real. That is so much an advertising campaign. We do this with God all the time.
We polish up God and try to make Him all kinds of things that He isn’t. God isn’t into happiness for instance, but much of the talk I hear and read in Christian circles makes me think that God is fairly consumed with my happiness quotient, much as I am. God isn’t into materialism like we say He is . . . in fact He was pretty hard on the rich in general throughout most of Scripture. God isn’t into investing in people to get more out of them (but He is interested in them as a person). God isn’t overly interested in human physical health like we are . . . I mean what is a puny 80 years in a worn-out physical body compared to eternity? I actually do not think we believe in eternity too much either, but that subject will probably be its own blog eventually . We spend incredible resources in keeping our physical bodies as pain-free as possible, and alive as long as possible. Like I said, I don’t think God is concerned about these things. These are not the themes in Scripture.
It seems much more honest if we would stick with the biblical themes rather than the cultural obsessions. We should ask God to Father us, not give us what we want (I think Miller said it this way). Then I think God would be as responsive as any father worth his weight in salt would be. I am a very responsive father, yet compared to God, I am a terrible father. While my three teenagers think I am a “way cool daddio” (to quote one of them), I am not in the same league as God. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
Now that is a God we don’t have to sell.
We polish up God and try to make Him all kinds of things that He isn’t. God isn’t into happiness for instance, but much of the talk I hear and read in Christian circles makes me think that God is fairly consumed with my happiness quotient, much as I am. God isn’t into materialism like we say He is . . . in fact He was pretty hard on the rich in general throughout most of Scripture. God isn’t into investing in people to get more out of them (but He is interested in them as a person). God isn’t overly interested in human physical health like we are . . . I mean what is a puny 80 years in a worn-out physical body compared to eternity? I actually do not think we believe in eternity too much either, but that subject will probably be its own blog eventually . We spend incredible resources in keeping our physical bodies as pain-free as possible, and alive as long as possible. Like I said, I don’t think God is concerned about these things. These are not the themes in Scripture.
It seems much more honest if we would stick with the biblical themes rather than the cultural obsessions. We should ask God to Father us, not give us what we want (I think Miller said it this way). Then I think God would be as responsive as any father worth his weight in salt would be. I am a very responsive father, yet compared to God, I am a terrible father. While my three teenagers think I am a “way cool daddio” (to quote one of them), I am not in the same league as God. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
Now that is a God we don’t have to sell.
4 comments:
There is a lot of truth to what you say and certainly we should be careful that our image of God is one of Biblical truth and not cultural marketing-campaign wishful thinking. I agree with that. However, do not be too quick to say that is not interested in our human physical health, personal happiness/fulfillment, or in the meeting of our financial desires as well as needs. Jesus spent a lot of time healing the sick which Acts 10:38 refers to as "healing all those oppressed of the devil." And Jesus said he did here on earth only what he saw the Father doing.
I see throughout the Scriptures, and all of creation, a God of extravagant beauty who cares about my deepest desires.
As an example, I spent more money than my mother approved of for my wedding dress, on the principle that the lilies of field are dressed more extravagantly than Solomon. And when I prayed for my first house, I claimed the verse, "He has set my feet in a spacious place."
God is not a God of poverty, stinginess or unmet needs in His children.
Just swing your pendulum back a few notches, Bro - in of course my ever humble opinion :-)
Beth! It's great to hear from you . . . I miss your insight and comments. But on this one I don't see it your way. I actually not only don't agree with you, I think I mostly understated the immensity of this problem within the Church. There are lots of hungry Christians in the world Beth, there are Christians who have no place to sleep, no medicine for their children, and those are people I know here. Certainly God blesses them via us, but to make these issues the themes of Scripture is too big of a reach for me.
Having said all of that, again the post was not about the themes, as much as the selling and packaging of God. Thanks for stretching me. D
Hey anytime! - I'll try to stretch you my way, while I try to allow my worldview to be stretched your way :-)
There are plenty of people going to hell, too, but that doesn't mean it's God's will for them to be in that condition . . .
On your side, undoubtedly my selfishness needs reminders of those poor you see daily - and I believe the selfishness of many people is keeping those people in that condition.
Happy Friday!
I think, to keep on the rabbit trail that is not the theme of your post, that we in the American church have twisted one theme in particular to fit our culture:
We feel that God's purpose is to serve Man rather than that Man's purpose is to serve God.
...and so God becomes a little more than Santa Claus but a lot less than God.
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